Page 144 of Lose You Twice

By Wednesday, my life returns to its regular level of chaos, except now Kai is threaded through it in little pockets of my day that make me happy that life brought me back here.

I’m swapping the laundry at the rink when I feel my phone vibrate in the pocket of my shorts. Pulling it out, I see a text from Kai.

Kai: should be illegal to bend over in those shorts.

My head snaps in his direction. He bites his lip and sends me a wink from his locker, and I quickly shut the laundry room door as my face heats.

We made a deal. At the rink, we behave.

Mostly.

That’s the official version. The one I would present if questioned by Donnelly, Coach, Harlow, or whoever else decides to ask. Kai and I are professional. Respectful. Maybe a little extra careful around each other, but not suspiciously so.

Except careful has started to blur a lot faster than I thought.

Careful is his hand brushing my lower back for half a second when he passes me near the equipment room, there and gone so quickly I almost think I imagined it.

Careful is him standing close enough at the tape shelf that his shoulder touches mine while he murmurs a random compliment and then walks away like he hasn’t just rearranged my entire nervous system.

I’m checking our first aid bins in the back hallway when Kai finds me.

“Need help?” he asks.

I don’t turn around. “You ask me that a lot.”

“You refuse a lot.”

“And yet you persist.”

“I’m consistent.”

“You’re stubborn; there’s a difference.” I reach for the top shelf, but the box has been shoved too far back. My fingers brush cardboard, not enough to grip. Before I can try again, Kai steps behind me and gets it easily, his chest warm against my back for just a second.

Neither of us move.

The hallway is empty, but not private. Someone could round the corner at any second. Kai sets the box in my hands.

His fingers linger over mine.

“You’re doing the thing again,” I whisper.

“What thing?”

“Standing too close like you don’t know exactly what it does.”

“Did you ever think…” His breath touches the side of my neck. “That I know what it does, which is exactly why I do it?”

My grip tightens on the box. “Kai.”

He chuckles, lowering his head and pressing a kiss to my hair.

By the time he steps back, I’m positive that my face looks like a close relative of a tomato.

“You can’t do that,” I say.

“I just did.”

I glare over my shoulder. “Don’t sound so pleased.”